


Northern Lights

by perezimovat



Series: The Dragon and the Bear [3]
Category: Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Rise of The Brave Tangled Dragons - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Healing, Hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-22
Updated: 2013-07-22
Packaged: 2017-12-20 23:30:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/893168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perezimovat/pseuds/perezimovat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some Mericcup because I love this pairing. </p><p>Part in part with references to my other fic The Dragon King and Lion Hearted Queen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Northern Lights

Hiccup had arrived in Dunbroch one evening. Torn up and bruised and beaten, Toothless had managed to navigate them both towards the castle, the remnants of his prothestic tail in tatters. Merida had been sitting in her bedroom, trying to compose a letter to said Dragon Rider when Hubert burst into the room, eyes wide and terrified. Merida rose to her feet and tilted her head before Hubert said the words that she never wanted to hear.

"Hiccup. Injured." 

Merida grabbed the front of her dress, pushing past her brother and hurrying down the stairs down into the court. Elinor had her arms wrapped under the broken fallen image of Hiccup. Merida ran her hands over his face, before breaking out into a small smile, mingled with soft tears. 

"You're okay," She breathed. "It's okay." She swipped some of hair from his face. "It's okay, I've got you."

Hiccup glanced up at Merida, his face forming a smile before crumpling completely. Tootless yelped behind him, shoving his face into Hiccup's back trying to wake him up. Merida hauled Hiccup up, and together she and her mother moved him to the room closest to the great court room. He was unconscious now, completely unaware of what was going on. Merida began to pull off his heavy thick armour to try and assess the damage.

Hiccup had three major wounds. One above his right shoulder and looked like a gash from a weapon like an axe or a sword. There was one just above his belly button of an arrow wound, some of the arrow still stuck inside it. The third was just under his knee on his bad leg and from what Merida deduced, it looked like someone had tried to hack it off. 

Elinor returned - Merida not realising that her mother had left - with a bowl of water and the castle mystic who shooed Merida away. Elinor shook her head and drew her daughter back out of the room as the castle mystic closed the door and began to set to work.

Merida felt sick. Like she was going to violently throw up. 

"It's going to be okay," Elinor promised. "Hiccup will be fine." 

Merida shook her head, putting her hand to her temple before walking over to the dragon who was being fed fish by Fergus. She drooped down and picked Toothless' head up and looked him dead in the eyes. "Thank you," She said, earnestly, hugging him tightly. "Thank you for trying to save him."

Toothless was receptive of the warmth from Merida. He closed his eyes and pressed himself against her. She let him rest on her knees, knowing the strain of the journey. Fergus sat beside her and she began to dictate the note that she needed to send to Berk and Stoick in particular. Once Fergus had finished the letter, Merida signed it with her name and gave her father a hug as he passed it to Harris.

"What happened to Hiccup?" He asked.

"Not sure," Merida said. "But I'll kill whatever it was." 

Elinor put her hand to her daughters shoulder shaking her head. Merida knew her mothers feeling about it all but it didn't stop the fiery redhead wanting to go out and seek revenge. Harris went off to find someone to bring the message to Berk before returning to his sisters side and sitting down.

"Where are Hubert and Hamish?" Elinor asked after a moment.

"Hamish is with the witch-" Harris said.

"Harris!"

"What? That's what she is!" Harris defended himself against his father stubbornly. "And Hubert is making food."

Merida sighed and stroked Toothless softly before getting up and moving towards the dragons tail. She removed the mesh and crushed metallic features and tossed them to the side with a grimace. Something had completely burnt Toothless' tail, fire, she presumed. Toothless had tilted his head to watch her with a hint of curiosity in his green eyes. Merida gave him a smile before taking off the harness and putting it on top of one of the tables. 

The mystic opened the door and together with Hamish tottered out of the room, taking the Queen's hand and nodded towards Merida who at this point and time could have kissed the little old woman. She decided not to and went inside, Toothless following her. 

Hiccup was sat bolt upright, his shirt off and bandages everywhere. Merida tried not to vomit at the sight of his blood in the bowl and the splinters of arrow sitting to one side with a pair of large pliers holding the arrow head. He glanced up at Merida and smiled. She noticed that he, or rather, the mystic had taken off his leg to get at the wound. The stump was not something that was pleasant to look at - ugly, scarred and burnt away with dark skin - but something she couldn't look away from. Hiccup noticed this and pulled his trouser leg down wrapping his leg up with a knot. Immediately Merida felt bad. 

"Thanks for y'know..." He said, clearing his throat and drawing her attention back to his face. "Getting me fixed up."

Merida breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. She let go of him before hitting him on his good shoulder. "THAT'S FOR SCARING THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME!" She shouted. "DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN HICCUP HADDOCK OR I WILL KILL YOU MYSELF!"

Hiccup looked up at her sheepishly, rubbing his shoulder. "Sorry?" He said with a small confused smile. Merida burst out laughing before putting her hands to her mouth and holding back sobs.

Hiccup sighed and took her hand, holding it tightly. 

"I thought you were going to die," She said sitting down beside him. 

"So did I," Hiccup said as Toothless curled around his feet. He used his other hand to stroke the dragons head. "Thanks bud for taking me here." He let out a groan as he tried to straighten up. Merida stood and gently helped him get his legs up back onto the bed. "Odin's beard that hurts," He muttered. "No, it's good, I'm fine," He rested his head against the pillow before rolling over and closing his eyes. Merida saw on his back scars and scratches and nicks that his skin suffered throughout the years from working with Dragons, being a Viking and presumably like her, just general clumsiness. She watched as Hiccup's entire body moved up and down and couldn't bear to leave him just in case he stopped breathing through the night. 

Sighing and shrugging at Toothless who had curled onto the floor, Merida pulled off her tartan sash, draping it over the bedpost and pulling off her dress down to her white underdress. She tossed off her brown boots before pushing her red hair to one side and curling up next to Hiccup. With a tentative thought and even gentler hand, she wrapped her arm around Hiccups waist, her face nestled in the tiny braids of his auburn hair. Toothless tilted his head, watching curiously as Merida and Hiccup lay together in protective comfort. Hiccup didn't let this effort she was making go unnoticed, before he fell completely asleep he took her hand and pressed it against his chest, letting her fingertips feel his still beating heart. 

* * *

Merida woke up the next morning with a sick feeling in her stomach. She thought on some occasions during the night that Hiccup had stopped breathing altogether and had on mulitple occasions woken up and had to physically check that he was okay. Eventually, when the sleep disappeared and her senses regained and pleased to see that Hiccup had managed to survive the night, she got up, pulling on her dress before sneaking up to her room to change into something that didn't suggest she had spent the night with him.

It wasn't the fact that she had done anything with him than make sure he was okay. That was fine, but if rumours started flying about her acting inappropriately when she wasn't married, then noblemen would start questioning her integrity as a Queen and she was in no mood to argue in court sessions over the next couple of months.

Once in her room, she combed her hair and braided it down her back, taming it as best she could before changing into a light blue gown and pulling her sash over her shoulder before tying it off at her waist. She pinned her broach onto the tartan and checked herself in the mirror. Realising that her bed was still made, she went about systematically destroying the neatness of the sheets and pillows into the usual mess that they were in when she woke up. 

Head tall, shoulders back, and a strong expression, Merida stepped outside and began to make her way to the hall to begin her duties as Queen. Maudie brought her the usual mail, letters from the clans Dingwall, MacIntosh and McGruffin about the annual sports tournaments that were to be held later on that month. She had hoped to hear from Stoick but it would be way too soon to expect something from him since word had only been sent to Berk the night previously. Scanning the letters she had gotten she then went to go check with the clerk who usually documented what needed to be done to Dunbroch that the residents required since many of them did not speak. He was a fat man who sat in his own little office within the castle and didn't go out unless Merida ordered him to get out and actually work.

A brief debate with him about the realms defences and Merida retired to have breakfast with her parents and brothers.

"How did you sleep last night?" Hamish asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Merida dropped the berry that she was about to put in her mouth and her eyes widened. She cleared her throat. "Well, actually, I slept like a log," She said.

"Oh," Harris smirked. "And how did Hiccup sleep?"

"I assume he slept well too," Merida said.

"Boys, quit bugging your sister," Fergus said.

"Aye," Merida leaned forward. "Or I'll chop off your heads and feed you to the dogs,"

Hubert was playing with his porridge. "Are they talking about how you spent the night with Hiccup?" he asked absent-mindedly.

Merida stared at him before blushing profusely. Fergus, waiting for Elinor's inevitable blow-out, hid behind his breakfast. Merida stood with uneasy legs and said very calmly. "I spent the night... With Hiccup, to make sure that he was okay," She said coarsely her voice breaking and faltering badly. She had nothing to hid since she hadn't actually done anything, but she knew it wasn't the proper way for a queen to behave and she knew that her mother would not be light about it. 

Elinor stared at Merida for a moment before standing. "Do you realise how inappropriate that is?" She asked.

"Yes," Merida nodded, gulping. "But I didn't do anything mum, I was making sure he wasn't going to stop breathing half-way through the night. I was worried."

Elinor looked like she was going to go insane with anger. Instead she breathed heavily and nodded. "I believe you. But the noblemen may not."

"Don't tell them," Merida cried.

"Of course not," Elinor snapped. 

Merida, feeling once again sick to her stomach pushed her plate away and got up. "I have to make sure Hiccup's okay." She muttered. Elinor sat down and sighed, Fergus patting her shoulder and then turning to roar at the boys in anger. She dipped away grabbing some clothes out of her brothers and fathers closets before returning down to the room where Hiccup was assumably still sleeping. She had no idea if any of it would fit him, but there was no more men's clothes within the castle that she could get discreetly. She didn't really want the entire realm to know that she had Hiccup here, maybe for her own selfish reasons, but she supposed that she was also keeping him safe from whomever had attacked him.

Merida slipped away and knocked on the door to Hiccup's room. She stepped inside to see that he was still fast asleep. In her absence, Toothless had curled around Hiccup, taking over Merida's job to make sure he was still breathing. She stroked his chin carefully and he made a low rumbling noise. 

Hiccup had obviously sensed her precence. He rolled over as carefully as he could and took her hand, breathing deeply.

"Hey," Merida said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've just sky-dived from Toothless hit the ground and didn't wear the appropriate clothing," Hiccup replied haughtily used her hand to pull himself up. Toothless jumped off the bed and began to paw at the floor. He motioned for her to hand him his leg. After a moments hesitance, she picked it up and gave it too him, sitting down as he worked away putting himself back together. Actively avoiding the large bandage above his knee, he tried to work through the pain he was obviously experiencing. Merida handed him a few shirts.

"I didn't know what would fit you," She said sheepishly.

Hiccup pecked her on the cheek and pulled on one of her brothers shirts before deciding against it and pulling on Fergus' shirt instead. Still unhappy that the size wasn't all to great on his lean frame, he shrugged and sighed just giving up completely. 

"You haven't asked what happened," Hiccup said. "Not that I care or anything," He added sarcastically.

Merida had forgotten herself. "What happened?" She asked, shaking her head.

"Are you really curious, or are you just saying that because I pointed it out?" Hiccup asked.

Merida paused blinking and confused. "I er... What?"

"I'm messing with you," Hiccup said.

Merida slapped his arm. He held it laughing before saying "Ow,"

"Will you just tell me?" She snapped.

"Sorry," He said, rubbing his elbow. "A viking named Alvin the Treacherous. He was tossed out of Berk long before I was born - him and his merry band of really dangerous vikings - and he sort of became Viking King of his own little island." He groaned as he pulled himself up to a standing position. Immediately he decided against it. "Nope, well that's not happening," He sat back down and felt his knee.

"Hiccup, you've got to rest," Merida said. 

"Bah, who needs rest?" Hiccup chuckled. "Strong viking talking fishbones don't need rest."

"Hiccup this is serious! You could have died!" 

Hiccup blinked and looked down sheepishly. He didn't reply to her but Merida knew in an instant what he was thinking, that it wouldn't have really mattered if he lived or died, he didn't care. Her heart sank and she sat down next to him, taking his hand.

"I was really worried," She whispered. Hiccup took her hands in his and traced the lines of her palm and drawing little circles over them. Merida watched silently as he did so. "You're not leaving here until you're better. I'll have the royal blacksmith rebuild Toothless' tail.

"Has dad been told?" Hiccup asked.

Merida nodded. "I sent word last night."

"Was this before or after you fell asleep next to me?" Hiccup joked. "Sorry, I... Er... Yeah, no that was stupid to say. Sorry."

"What happened?" Merida repeated.

Hiccup sighed as Toothless rested his head on his lap. "We were flying, doing a little recon for dad, y'know, do it every so often to check on the island and I had told Astrid that I was going to visit you - by Dragon it's only a short journey so I figured - anyway, I flew too close to outcast island and Alvin spotted me. Dunbroch is closer to Outcast Island than Berk is - might want to take note of that, Toothless knew this and it would be to dangerous to double back and try and get back to Berk so, here I am."

Toothless grumbled softly nudgin Hiccup's hand. 

"Why would they attack you?" Merida whispered. "You're just a boy,"

"Oi," Hiccup said. "I'll have you know that I am Stoick the Vast's grown up talking fishbone! I take offence to the word boy."

"Hiccup," Merida scowled.

"Part of the reason is that I can train dragons," Hiccup said becoming serious again under the Queens glare. "And the fact that I am Stoick's son. Makes me a target. Yay for me."

"You're not leaving till you're better," Merida said.

"I guessed as much," Hiccup said. She stood and wrapped her arms aound his neck holding him in a hug. He pressed his face against her stomach, closing his eyes and breathing in the smell of soft lavender and wild berry oils of her skin, his arms wrapped around her waist, the fabric and soft smells enough to make him feel infinitely better. Merida stroked his hair tenderly for a moment and then gave him a small kiss on the head before leaving him in the chamber. Hiccup let out a curse and a groan pressing his hand against his stomach and falling back into the pillow. Toothless nipped his hand playfully as the Dragon Rider fell back to sleep.

* * *

Hiccup had been at the castle for a few days, and for the most part had been healing well as far as his injuries were concerned. There was no offical word from Berk though Merida was confident that she would receive something from them in the next few days or so. She awoke one morning and travelled down to the court hall to see Hiccup with Toothless trying to replace the harness on the dragons back. Merida folded her arms and frowned.

"Not leaving us so soon are we Haddock?"

Hiccup nearly jumped a mile into the air, terrified for his life. He turned quickly and fell over Toothless' tail with a thump. Merida rolled her eyes and continued down the stairs to help him up as a few maids went by with the morning breakfast.

"THORS SKIVVIES," Hiccup muttered as Merida pulled him up. "You frightened the living daylights out of me."

"I thought dragon riders aren't allowed to get scared." Merida teased. 

Hiccup made a face at her and went over to the other side of Toothless tightening up the straps. 

"You're not leaving right?" She asked.

Hiccup sighed. "No," He said pulling himself up with a grunt. "Not yet, the Duchess wishes me to stay for a little while longer."

"Duchess?" Merida frowned before remembering that she was of course queen and her mother had taken the title of Duchess to officiate things. "Oh. Then why are you...?"

"Just like any animal-" Toothless slapped him wth his head fins and Hiccup scowled at the dragon. "Just like any other animal," He continued taking a step back from him. "Toothless needs some exercise and sadly he can't fly without someone piloting him."

"Hiccup, you'll rip your stitches,"

"I've survived through worse," Hiccup shrugged, nodding towards his leg. "I'm tough. I'm a viking."

"Hiccup," Merida said.

Hiccup stopped and glanced at her. "But," He said biting his lips, his freckles becoming very prominent around his eyes. "I can't not do it, the foot harness is designed for me,"

Merida glanced down at the metal contraption and folded her arms. "I see you spoke to the blacksmith,"

"Yeah, he came to me," Hiccup said. "I suppose you ordered that?" Merida nodded. Hiccup sighed and looked back at the dragon who was helping himself to the basket of fish in front of him. "The only other option is that you fly with me." He suggested. "You know, to make sure I don't internally rupture my organs and end up in Helheim."

"Hiccup, I've got responsibilities-" Merida began.

"I know it was a dumb idea," Hiccup replied. 

Merida sighed and walked forward, tying her hair up out of her eyes. "Well come on then," She said.

Hiccup glared at her. "You mean you are..."

"Well I can hardly leave you on your own," She said taking off her crown and walking over to the throne where she placed it into a small wooden box that she had placed there just in case. She also grabbed her bow and arrow set that she had flung over the wooden spool of the throne the other day after practice pulling it around her comfortably sitting at her hips just above her brooch. She turned and hoped back over to the confused looking Hiccup, putting her hands on her hips. "So, come on then." 

Toothless looked between them then lept for joy, bounding out of the castle doors. Merida led the way out, Hiccup following behind her. Summers in Scotland were short, cold and dull. Much like most of the other seasons. Today was no different. There was a cold crisp wind that beckoned them out into the light of the sun. Toothless was practically jumping, avid to get into the air once more. Helping Hiccup get on and latch into the blacksmiths attempt recreate Hiccup's handiwork. After a bit of effort, Hiccup was finally on and attached to Toothless. Merida pulled herself on after him, hoisting her skirts up and wrapping her arms very gently around Hiccup's waist.

Hiccup nodded and Toothless took heed, speeding up to build momentum because he couldn't exactly soar off immediately with an inexperienced flier and a wounded rider on his back. Once on good footing, the dragon managed to bound into the air softly, taking off from the castle. Merida had never quite gotten used to being on Toothless, her ears popping as the air pressure changed. Some of it was like riding Angus, but the horse didn't have wings. 

Hiccup leaned forward as far as he could, building up speed. Merida copied, leaning against his back as they soared over Dunbroch. From this, Merida could properly see the full extent of her kingdom, from the farmers working in the crop, to the children playing in the meadow. If it wasn't for the fact that she adored Hiccup with every single piece of her, she would easily say that flying was her favourite thing when he visited.

Laughing and grinning as Toothless went higher and higher into the clouds, Merida saw the concentration in Hiccup's face. Everything had to be calculated on his part. Toothless may do all the flying, but Hiccup had to work out which position to put his foot in so that Toothless' tail fin could change accordingly. Toothless was in control of the flight, but Hiccup was the mechanic making sure that the flight went well and didn't end up in a tumbled heap in the water. 

He sat up, patting Toothless' side comfortably. He glanced back at Merida. "Enjoying yourself."

Merida slapped his hand playfully. Hiccup smiled at her turning back. His hand went to his stomach as Toothless glided through the trees with cause ease before coming to rest in a small crook in the woods. Merida jumped down from the animal as Hiccup set about unhooking himself from the harness. The queen scratched Toothless under the chin kissing him slightly.

"Who's a good boy?" She cooed.

"Careful he doesn't like being called that," Hiccup warned, finally getting off. Much to his surprise, Toothless loved being cooed by Merida making odd purring noises that resembled Gobber when you handed him a new underwear. "Uh," He said. "He usually sets me on fire if I do that,"

"He's just a wee softie," Merida said laughing. "Now isn't Hiccup stupid? Isn't he a dumb dragon rider?"

Hiccup made a face. "Thanks for that."

"You know I don't mean it," Merida smiled. 

Hiccup rolled his eyes and went to go sit down against a rock, breathing heavily and holding his stomach. Merida didn't notice at first but stopped as soon as Toothless stopped reciprocating her coos. She glanced over and looked at Toothless miserably. "Hiccup, you okay?" She asked.

Hiccup nodded. "I'm good." He said, straightening up. "Maybe you were right when you told me to rest."

"I usually am," Merida said taking his hand and fixing her bow around her shoulder before taking him from the meadow out towards the river. She sat Hiccup down before she and Toothless waded into the water. Merida drew her bow and shot precisely at a fish, bringing it up and throwing it behind her shoulder. Toothless caught it with ease and swallowed it whole. She caught another one before taking it back to Hiccup. 

"What's that?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Lunch. Or breakfast," Merida held the fish to her face. "I'm not sure which since I could never grasp telling the time from the sun." The fish flapped and she jumped as it hit her face. It hit the grass with a soft thump before Toothless nabbed his chance and ate it for himself.

"Thanks bud," Hiccup rolled his eye. He pushed himself off the rock before going over to Merida. "Can I have a go?" He asked.

Merida frowned. "Well, you can, but how's your shoulder?" She teased.

Hiccup stretched a little before wincing. "It'll be fine," He said.

"Be on your bonnet," Merida said handing him the bow and arrow. Hiccup used his hands differently from Merida. Bow in his right hand and holding the arrow in his left. Merida guided him over to the grass and told him to focus his aim on a specific area. With a small strain on his face he pulled back and fired, hitting the ground. The arrow flopped down without much care. Hiccup sighed and grabbed another arrow from Merida's pouch. He aimed again and fired, but in his determination, he fired too high and the arrow darted off almost hitting Toothless on the nose. The dragon growled annoyed.

"Sorry bud," Hiccup said, giving the bow back to Merida. "I suppose I was never meant to be a great weapons master."

"Maybe not," Merida said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "But you gave it your best shot Dragon King."

Hiccup blushed furiously at her touch touching his cheek before going over to her as she went to catch another fish. Once she got one, he surprised her by planting a small kiss on her cheek and giving her a flower. 

* * *

They had spent the day together, Hiccup talking about what it meant to be a dragon trainer, and what it meant to Berk. Merida spoke of how much she enjoyed being Queen and what it meant to her to be able to do the best for her people and how she aimed to make her kingdom and her legacy one of the best loved and most peaceful in the land. Whilst it was obviously ambitious from Hiccup's belief system, it was something that he could see the fiery red-headed Queen achieving. But she was still early days in her reign, and still had a long long rule in front of her. 

Toothless was stretching and playing happily in the river - something he couldn't well do in the castle. Merida glanced over, feeling bad for the dragon who couldn't go anywhere without his rider. But she supposed that made their bond something greater, something more poignant. 

"Hiccup," Merida said. "Have you ever made a tail for Toothless so he could fly himself?"

Hiccup nodded. "Yeah twice, once before during Snoggletoc and the other when I spoke to your blacksmith, but he wore it both times before he destroyed them both. I don't think he likes flying on his own any more."

"Oh," Merida pursed her lips wandering over to him. She glanced up at the darkening sky and sat down beside him. "Perhaps we should go back home, mum doesn't know I'm here, she'll be worried sick."

Hiccup scratched his head and fell back on the grass, staring up at the sky. Merida lay down beside him as an array of colours began to hit the sky with translucent changing beauty. The colours danced and moved and sang in unison over their heads. Merida had seen these lights before, when she was very young, but never had time to actually see them now. Behind the colours the stars glowed with infancy and mystery. Hiccup smiled as he watched them dance as Merida's hand edged towards his. Their fingers knotted together tightly. The colours swirled and moved in shapes before fading away into the clouds completely.

Together they walked over to Toothless. With another bit of effort they managed to get Hiccup on and Merida decided that this time she would sit in front of him. She pushed her hair out of the way and pushed her skirts into a more manageable position. Hiccup placed one arm on Merida's shoulder using her to steer whilst his arm went around her waist. Even though he was behind her, he was doing most of the work. Toothless took off into the sky, soaring up into the clouds.

It was peaceful, quiet, all that filled the silence was the croak of crickets and the flap of the wind around Merida's ears. Well, it was, until a piercing roar sounded. Merid scowled and looked around at Hiccup who was frowning. "That's coming from the castle," She alerted him.  Toothless began to lower himself towards the ground. Using all her strength, Merida hoisted herself around Hiccup so that he was once again sitting in front of her. She supposed it would be easier for him to get them back home.

Hiccup leaned forward and Toothless began to dive towards the stone structure before coming to a stop just outside the castle doors. Outside were several dragons, none of which resembled each other. Merida clung to Hiccup terrified, the fiercest looking was spiky and red with burning claws. Hiccup managed to get off and waited for Merida. He edged towards the dragon and placed his hand gently on its snout before sighing. "Hello Hookfang," he said before spotting Astrid's dragon, Stormfly. 

He took Merida's hand and together they entered the castle where Elinor was speaking to Stoick and several others who looked to be around her age. The girl with plaited blonde hair and a mismatched fringe bounded towards Hiccup and pretty much leapt on him, sending them both to the floor.

"OW ODINS BEARD ASTRID! DIDN'T YOU GET THE MESSAGE THAT I WAS INJURED? WHY, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"

"Oh get up you big baby," Merida rolled her eyes, pulling him up as he wiped down his shirt. She turned to Astrid. "My name is Merida, Queen of Dunbroch can I assume that your name is Astrid?"

Astrid nodded and then pointed to the others that had gathered. "That's Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut and that's Fishlegs." She said.

Merida bowed respectively to each of them before turning to address Stoick. "I want to apologise for not being here to formally greet you," She said.

Stoick chuckled. "No bother, majesty." He said. "Elinor was regaling us of Hiccup's ferocious air battle."

Hiccup frowned. "How... Would she...?"

"I may have beefed up your story a little bit," Merida whispered to Hiccup as she followed him and the other vikings outside. 

"Thanks," Hiccup muttered watching as Astrid fixed a tail onto Toothless that woud let him fly solo instead of having to cater for Hiccup. Toothless seemed to dislike it, but it would have been impossible for Hiccup to fly any more than what he had already done today without seriously injuring himself. He moved to climb onto the bright blue dragon as Ruffnut and Tuffnut and Fishlegs took off to scout ahead.

"And you know," Hiccup said, turning and kissing Merida. "Thanks for taking care of me,"

Merida hugged him tightly. "No more outcast island eh?" She whispered into his ear. 

Hiccup nodded, his hands curling around her waist tenderly. He let go solemnly getting onto the dragon as Astrid passed him his helmet as she got on after him. "See you Merida."

"Until the next time," Merida nodded as Stoick passed her and got onto his dragon. Toothless had already taken to the sky following the impressive Hookfang. Hiccup gave her a small smile before Astrid patted her dragon and they set off into the night. Merida waved and watched for as long as she could, her mother standing next to her with her hand on her shoulder. 

She heard a shout and a bellow as Fergus came rushing down the stairs, almost tripping. "HE'S STILL WEARING MY SHIRT!" He bellowed.

 


End file.
